Archive for March 2011
I love rainbows. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner rainbows have been popping up every time I sit down to brainstorm activities. This one was particularly fun because it used things I am cleaning out of my craft dump closet , incorporates my son’s incredible love of pretend play ( he’s a garbage sorter) and most every preschooler’s desire to sort. You can do this in 2 parts sorting one day, making a rainbow the next or if I was still teaching I’d do this as a cooperative group project. My 4 year old did all the way up to putting the trash on then lost interest until I started putting some on and he ran back to the table saying he could do it better (is everything a competition in your house too? Sigh) so we did the gluing together.Make sure whatever materials you use that they are safe for the age/ ability of child you are doing this with.
- Gather your materials. You will need a large piece of paper ( I used a grocery bag cut open ), glue, scissors, colored pencils/markers , 7 small containers, small squares of paper in the colors of the rainbow, a mixed mess of “garbage ” -paper/ buttons/foam/plastic toys/ribbon in the colors of the rainbow.
- Start by putting the paper in the containers to sort the “garbage”
- Next fill a container up with all the “garbage”
- Start sorting.
- I was so pleased with how much he liked this part of the activity.
It seemed to go on and on forever as he pretended to need a coffee break from his job at the garbage sorting factory. We are not short on imagination in this house. - While he returned to work I made the rainbow with colored pencils.
- Time to add glue. We added two glue for a few colors at a time.
- Add the objects! We did this part together
- Add more glue.
- Add more objects.
- Let dry.
Books
Duckie’s Rainbow
Planting a Rainbow
This project too complicated for your toddler? Yesterday in my Link &Learn weekly linky this awesome rainbow project from Toddler Approved was linked. When I saw it after writing this post I knew it would be a perfect link to share as an option for younger kids so I added it in .
Last week I asked for name suggestions for this linky and Link & Learn was the name that resonated the most with me and with the most of you. Then I opened my email to this awesome Link & Learn button made for me by Monica from Arma Dei . Feel free to add the image to the post you are sharing today. If this is the first time you’ve ever linked up the only rule we have is that you share your best post of the week, something we can learn from! Link & Learn!
by Carrie Anne
A love of books is important even before your kids can read. I hope to bring to you each month some new releases for the smallest ones in your family to enjoy.
The Hug
written Lesley Simpson, illustrated by Yayo
Annick Press
Age 2-4 (board book)
First published in 1985, this new board book edition of THE HUG revisits the story of one lonely hug. Feeling unneeded, the hug sets out to become something different. It uses its large round shape to turn itself into different things but maybe all the hug really needs is a little practice to remember how good it feels to give—and receive—hugs! I found this to be a wonderful book about hugs, something you and your kids like to give and receive. Why not end the story by hugging some of your favourite people and things.
DK Books
Age 0-5 (board book)
This chunky board book combines kids’ love of vehicles with lift the flap books. Each page contains a question pertaining to the picture ‘Who’s behind the brick wall?’, inviting kids to lift the flap and see. The images are all based on kids toys. Each page has a nubby tab that sticks out for little fingers to flip open. The pages are thick and sturdy for little hands. A great book for little ones to explore on their own or enjoy together sitting on mom or dad’s lap.
My First Colors: Let’s Learn Them All!
Carrie Anne is a contributing writer for No Time For Flash Cards , she is a mom of 3 , Managing editor of EverythingMom.com and an avid reader. You can catch up with her on her blog Another Day. Another Thought…Or Two
Rainbows, Pots of Gold, Shamrocks and more. These are all our old favorite lucky St. Patrick’s Day crafts . I get asked if I ever repeat crafts and I do absolutely especially holiday ones. We played with the sensory tub featured here all year long . Remember kids aren’t as stuck to a calendar as we are so embrace it when they suggest a Christmas craft in February or make snowflakes in June. Often times kids like to make holiday crafts after they have experienced the holiday.
Are you sick of these marshmallow crafts? I hope not because I love them! The novelty of using marshmallows as a craft material can intrigue even the least interested little crafter. We did this last week when we had an unexpected but very fun playdate . It was fun to see how exciting the marshmallows were for my son’s friend who’d never made crafts with them before. It’s a fun way of adding some counting and fine motor skills into a simple St.Patrick’s Day craft.
- Gather your materials. You will need some sturdy paper ( my fave are brown grocery bags), some multi colored mini marshmallows, a marker, green crayons or markers, scissors and white glue.
- Start by cutting open your bag and drawing a shamrock.
- Color it. We used all different shades of green because I have been teaching my son about how a color can have many shades and doesn’t always look exactly the same. Also it’s pretty.
- The boys had a race to see who could color the fastest – they both won, my table did not.
- Add the glue along the outline.
- Add the marshmallows.
- How we avoid too many marshmallows going into little mouths is to give numbers they have to reach and count on the shamrock before they can eat one.
- Let dry.
- Cut around the shamrock.
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